JP2003502920A - Automatic control of broadcast and interactive application execution to maintain synchronization with broadcast programs - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: The automation server (110) automatically maintains interactive applications for broadcast programs such as television shows and commercials, so as to maintain appropriate interactive applications for current broadcast programs. Interfaces with various types of broadcast scheduling systems for synchronization. Thus, a television show that has an associated interactive application and is segmented by commercials (which may have their own interactive application) will be displayed while the television show is on. Have those interactive applications that are played but not displayed during the commercial. Any state information generated during the execution of the interactive application is maintained. The automation server (108) includes a plurality of channel interfaces (402), each having a translator (502) and an event manager (504). The translator (502) translates native control signals from the scheduling system (106) into a fixed set of atomic commands that represent the life cycle behavior of the broadcast program. The event manager (504) receives these atomic commands and uses them to determine the appropriate state for any interactive application associated with the broadcast program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[Background] [A. TECHNICAL FIELD] The present invention is generally directed to interactive television.
I.S. field, and in particular, automatic control of synchronized interactivity with television broadcast programs.

[B. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Most interactive television systems attempt to augment existing broadcast programs with viewer-selectable interactivity. For example, interactivity may be a broadcast on a special interactive channel that allows a viewer to tune a set top box or other device to receive and display interactivity. This interactivity typically comprises a user interface that occupies the entire television screen. In this way, the viewer chooses to watch a traditional broadcast program on a regular channel or to use interactivity on an interactive channel. In other implementations, interactivity may be activated on any channel, but still occupy the entire television screen. However, these implementations of interactive television typically do not require interactivity to be synchronized with some broadcast program being broadcast, which does not allow the interactivity to overlay the entire screen, and This is because it hinders the display. Broadcast programs include television shows, commercials, program guides, and more.

Another version of interactive television is intended to be displayed on only a portion of the television screen to provide the interactivity associated with a broadcast program.
For example, a broadcast game show may be accompanied by interactivity that allows viewers to play along with the questions presented during the show and enter their answers. This interactivity is displayed on only part of the television screen, allowing the viewer to continue to watch the broadcast program.

Regarding the interactivity associated with the broadcast program, it is desirable to maintain the interactivity in synchronization with the broadcast program. This means that interactivity should be available to the viewer whenever the broadcast program it is associated with is being broadcast and that the broadcast program should be temporarily stopped and then resumed, for example during a commercial break. If so, it means that any state information created by the viewer, eg cumulative total points in the game, should be maintained.

Furthermore, when a broadcast program with interactivity is not broadcast or otherwise interrupted, it means that it should not be displayed. In particular,
Proper synchronization requires that no interactivity for television shows be displayed when commercials are being broadcast during the show. This is for two reasons. First, a commercial may have its own interactivity associated with it, such as the manner in which the user requests product information regarding the product advertised during the commercial. As such, the interactivity of the commercial must be displayed, but the interactivity of the show must be re-displayed when the commercial (or series of commercials) ends and the television show is resumed. The re-interpretation of the show's interactivity should be prompt and, as mentioned above, should retain the state information that was available when the commercial began. For example, if the viewer had accumulated points in an interactive game, the accumulated points should be available when the interactivity of the show is resumed.

Second, displaying the interactivity of a show during a commercial is inappropriate, even if the commercial does not have its own interactivity. This is because interactivity overlays a portion of the television screen, overriding portions of the commercial, which is not relevant to advertisers who pay for the commercial being broadcast. That is unacceptable. Also, show interactivity is not associated with commercials, and its appearance can confuse viewers.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide an interactive television system, method and software product that accurately synchronizes the interactivity of various broadcast programs to coordinate interruptions of broadcast programs by other broadcast programs. .

Apart from interactive television systems, conventional television broadcast systems provide varying degrees of automatic and manual control over how a broadcast program is selected and output for broadcast transmission. . Conventional broadcast systems typically include a broadcast scheduling system, various broadcast sources (broadcast sources), data insertion units and transmitters. A broadcast source provides video, audio or other content that is broadcast via a transmitter. These broadcast sources may be various types of video and audio tape decks, video tape libraries, digital audio / video sources, live video sources, server computers, and so on.

Scheduling systems typically include a series of native control signals (nat).
IVE control signals control the broadcast source in the broadcast system. These control signals direct various broadcast sources to start, stop, load or otherwise manage their broadcast programs. The set of control signals is determined primarily by a playlist that specifies which broadcast sources are active or inactive at which times, and the channel assignments to which the active broadcast sources are directed. In a manual control system, a control signal is generated in response to manual operation by a human operator to selectively activate or deactivate any of the broadcast sources to direct the output to the appropriate channel.

Broadcast data from the broadcast source is passed to the transmitter. The transmitter transmits the broadcast signal on the selected channel to any number of broadcast receivers. A broadcast receiver, such as a set top box or compatible television, tuned to the selected channel receives the broadcast signal and displays the broadcast program.

Conventional scheduling systems and manual controls generally provide their power control signals only to broadcast sources or similar devices. This is because these control signals are in a format specific to that broadcast source and are not designed to control other types of broadcast equipment. For example, a scheduling system that controls a video source uses control signals that are important to the video source device. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that further facilitates automated control of synchronous interactivity with broadcast programs using existing control signals from a scheduling system. This is desirable to avoid the need to modify the scheduling system to work with the new automated control scheme enabled equipment.

In some broadcasts, a code for identifying a broadcast program as a television show or as a commercial or its type is inserted into a broadcast signal. A popular set of codes is the American Associati
on of Advertising Agencies, Inc. Industry Standard Coding Identification System (Industry Standard Codin)
g Identification system ("ISCI code"). The ISCI code is typically used to indicate a commercial broadcast sponsorship or partnership. However, these codes are not currently used to control the execution of interactivity that may be associated with television shows, commercials or other broadcast programs. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods for controlling interactivity synchronization of various broadcast programs using these and similar codes embedded in broadcast signals.

Some forms of interactive television cooperate with conventional broadcast systems as described above to provide useful interactivity. Such a system includes a broadcast server that stores a database of interactive applications. Interactive applications are selectively associated with various broadcast programs so that they accompany the programs as they are broadcast. The broadcast server typically receives its own playlist during a given broadcast period and uses the scheduling information therein to identify the particular broadcast program currently being broadcast. The broadcast server searches for interactive applications associated with programs currently being broadcast (broadcast programs) and provides these interactive applications to the data insertion unit. The data insertion unit combines the data from the interactive application with the broadcast data from the broadcast source to generate a broadcast signal, where the interactive application is associated with the broadcast program. The combined broadcast signal is transmitted by the transmitter on the selected channel. Any broadcast receiver tuned to that channel receives a broadcast signal containing both the broadcast program and the accompanying interactive application. The broadcast receiver displays the broadcast program, decodes and executes the interactive application, and displays it on the television screen as appropriate. The broadcast server further sends a command to the broadcast receiver to selectively initiate execution of an interactive application according to predetermined instructions in the playlist,
It can be stopped, stopped or resumed.

However, previously, broadcast servers have not been integrated with existing scheduling systems to automate control of interactive applications based on control signals from the scheduling system. One of the difficulties in this regard is the lack of homogeneity, and as mentioned above, the various control signals that control their broadcast sources using various types of scheduling systems are required to interface with the broadcast sources. Is designed. This system was not previously designed to control interactivity in response to ISCI codes or the like. Therefore, it is desirable to provide synchronous interactive applications via an effective interface between the scheduling system and the broadcast server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a synchronous display of interactivity with an individual broadcast program without being affected by other broadcast programs and / or interactivity of the broadcast program and its interruptions. Provide automated control of interactivity to maintain.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, typically a broadcast source (or subtitler (su)
A control signal, which is used only to control similar devices such as a btitler), is received and processed to output the command to the broadcast server. These commands selectively direct the broadcast server to control the execution of interactivity at the broadcast receiver. Then, the broadcast server in turn sends a command to the broadcast receiver, and the broadcast receiver executes the command to control the interactivity.

The control signals used by the present invention may be from a conventional broadcast scheduling system operating in automatic or manual mode, or from a pre-recorded source that encodes the signal with a broadcast program, such as video tape. , May come from various sources.

As mentioned above, the control signals are typically formatted to specifically control a broadcast source such as a particular type of video, audio or other output device. Also, the control signals only control the broadcast of these sources and have no direct or inherent relationship to the execution of interactivity. Therefore, the present invention translates the control signals into commands acceptable to the broadcast server to selectively control the execution of interactivity.

The present invention may use state information from the broadcast server to determine the current state of interactivity execution at various broadcast receivers. This status information is
In response to an opaque control signal from the system if the situation changes,
It allows different commands to be generated.

The present invention provides a wide variety of different types of broadcast scheduling systems for
Provides interactive, synchronized control of synchronization. Generally, various types of scheduling systems provide different amounts and types of information in their control signals.

Certain basic scheduling systems only provide control signals that indicate to start, stop, or prepare a broadcast program, which may include a broadcast program ID for that broadcast program. For this type of scheduling system, the identification of the broadcast program (eg, television show or commercial) is used to determine if there is an accompanying interactive application for the broadcast program, and timing information is used to • Determine if the application should be started, stopped, stopped or resumed. Providing the appropriate commands and data to the broadcast server to selectively control the broadcast of interactive applications.

Another type of scheduling system can be used to identify commercial programs being broadcast during a television show,
Other than that, it provides a control signal that does not identify the television program (television program) itself. The present invention uses this information to identify interactivity associated with commercials, thereby providing commands to selectively stop and resume interactivity that may be associated with the television show on which the commercial is aired. The command is provided to the broadcast server to achieve the identified interactive broadcast.

Yet another type of scheduling system provides control signals that identify a broadcast program along with its duration. In this case, the present invention may selectively suspend and resume the interactivity appropriate to the broadcast program and the commercials that appear in between.

In one embodiment, the present invention interfaces between an existing conventional broadcast scheduling system and a server of interactive applications (and other forms of interactivity) to provide control output by the scheduling system. An automation server is provided that selectively controls the execution of interactivity that may be associated with the broadcast program in response to the signal.

According to the invention, the automation server further interfaces with the broadcast server to selectively initiate, cancel, or execute the execution of the interactive application.
Provide the broadcast server with a command to stop or resume. Using the control signals from the scheduling system, the automation server determines which broadcast program is being broadcast and generates and maintains state information regarding the state of each broadcast program. With information identifying the broadcast programs and their associated interactivity (if any), the automation server also maintains state information regarding the state of each interactive application. Using this status information and the control signals from the scheduling system, the automation server determines the appropriate command and sends it to the broadcast server to maintain synchronization between the broadcast program and the interactive application.

This synchronous behavior leads to interactivity being displayed when the broadcast program associated with it is displayed, and not at other times. For example, the present invention relates to television shows segmented by one or more commercial breaks, each of which may include multiple commercials, which commercials may have their own interactivity. Providing proper synchronous display of interactive applications. The present invention detects from a control signal of a scheduling system when a commercial break occurs during a broadcast or television show. The present invention then terminates the execution of the interactivity of a television program without canceling the interactivity until it can be safely determined that there are no other segments of the same television show after the commercial break has ended. It may stop. During the commercial break, the interactivity appropriate for the commercial is performed. If the television show is resumed, i.e. another segment of the television show is aired, the invention is
It detects when the previous segment is related to the current segment, resumes the interrupted interactivity, and returns any state information that might have been generated before the commercial break (for example, the current game). Play score, form data, etc.). The television show did not resume after the commercial break,
If the show is being broadcast, the present invention again detects this change in the broadcast program, ending the interactivity for the previous television show and starting the interactivity for the next television show.

In one embodiment of the invention, the automation server has multiple channels
Interfaces, each of which receives and manages control signals for a particular channel. Each channel interface includes a translator module and an event manager. The translator module provides native control signals from the scheduling system associated with broadcast programs on the channel,
Translate into a fixed set of atomic commands. The translator also maintains state information about the life cycle of each broadcast program. The event manager receives the atomic commands and processes them to control the interactivity of the broadcast program into commands to the broadcast server. The event manager maintains state information about the life cycle of interactive applications on the channel and from this state information generates appropriate commands to the broadcast server. The use of a separate translator and event manager allows the same event
It allows one to easily interface with different scheduling systems by using different translators while retaining the manager. Also,
The separation of the translator module and the event manager allows the automation server to potentially create different kinds of broadcast servers and potentially different broadcast servers by creating a new kind of event manager without the need to change the translator module. Allows you to interface. This feature allows the automation server to work with a variety of standardized interactivity that may be developed in the future.

In the context of the present invention, interactivity is an interactive application that is transmitted in the same signal as a broadcast program and executed by a broadcast receiver, or other end user device that receives the broadcast signal, or a cable. Interactive applications that run on the head end or other broadcast source, interactive applications that run on a traditional computer and are broadcast on the Internet or other network synchronously with the broadcast program, or asynchronous from the broadcast program Interactive forms of any type, including interactive applications that are provided to and run on demand.
May be provided by the application.

The automation server of the present invention may be implemented as a software product or as part of a larger system or device that includes specialized hardware and software. The present invention may also be implemented as various methods of controlling the execution of interactivity associated with a broadcast program.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram of a system according to the present invention is shown. It will be appreciated that the system shown in FIG. 1 may be incorporated into larger, more complex systems while still providing the features and benefits of the present invention.

[A. System Overview] Generally, the system 100 includes a scheduling system 106, an automation server 108, a broadcast server 110, a traffic system 104,
Broadcast program source 102, data insertion unit 116 and transmitter 118
Is equipped with. These components are typically used in the embodiment used by the cable operator at the cable head end. Implementation of the invention in other installations is certainly feasible. Broadcast receivers (BR) 120 are distributed remotely at the viewer's home, office, or the like. The person or persons receiving the program are called "subscribers" or "viewers".

System 100 cooperates with a number of broadcast stations 114. The broadcast station 114 provides the broadcast program material to the BR 120. As used herein, "broadcast station" 114 is any entity that provides programs carried in broadcast signals. A "program" is an independent segment of broadcasting. As such, the program includes television shows, commercials, public service announcements, pay-per-view events, etc., as defined herein. Broadcasters include television networks as well as commercial advertisers, paper-view providers, and cable networks.

The broadcasting station 114 includes a video cassette player, a video laser disk player, a subtitler, a video server, which includes or generates broadcast video data including audio and other data as necessary. , Character generators, audio carts, still stores, digital effects systems, live studio feeds and live remote field feeds. field fee
ds) to various broadcast program sources 102, such as banks of cameras (eg, from cameras at live sports events). Broadcast video data is stored in the broadcast program source 102 until needed for broadcast. A suitable broadcast program source is Odet from Anaheim, California.
ics, Inc. TCS45 Automated Video Lib
Hewlett-P from rally, Palo Alto, California
Includes MediaStream Server from ackard and similar devices or systems.

The traffic system 104 sends the broadcast program schedule to the broadcast station 1.
Received from 14. The broadcast program source defines which program provided by the broadcast station 114 will be broadcast on which channel at what time. Broadcasting station 1
For some 14, commercial programs may be included in the broadcast program source, and schedule time slots may be provided for the insertion of commercials provided by other broadcasters 114. Traffic system 10
4 integrates broadcast program sources from a number of different broadcast stations with broadcast schedule information generated in the field, for example by a cable operator, to create a playlist 113. A suitable traffic system 104 is Co
lumbine JDS Systems, Inc. Made of Columbine
It is JDS.

In one embodiment, this playlist 113 is created prior to broadcast and identifies the programs to be broadcast at a particular time. The playlist 113 preferably contains sufficient information to identify each program, its start and end times, channel and network assignments. Also, for each program at a particular time, there may be information identifying the particular broadcast program source 102 that will output that program.

Scheduling system 106 may include manual and / or automatic control components and suitable switching devices. Scheduling system 10
6 also indicates which broadcast program source 10 at which time
2 receives the playlist 113 that describes whether or not it will be broadcast using 2. Through its manual and / or automatic components, the scheduling system 106 individually broadcasts broadcast program sources to control which broadcast media is output to which broadcast medium at any given time. Combined with the broadcast media of. More specifically, the scheduling system 106 uses various broadcast program sources 10
It outputs native control signals that are formatted for 2, and are usually only important to them. The types and complexity of automatic and manual components vary, and so do the types of control signals they provide. The manual components of the scheduling system 106 are used by the operator to manually select and activate the broadcast program source 102 as needed, and also generate corresponding control signals received by the automation server 108.

Yet another source of control signals to the automation server 108 includes pre-recorded control signals included with the broadcast data at the broadcast source 102. Therefore, a control signal suitable for a particular broadcast program can be generated in advance and stored on the video tape of the broadcast program at an appropriate time. Such control signal storage can be performed on any medium that stores the broadcast program. Alternatively, the control signal may be prerecorded and stored in a medium different from those broadcast programs, but may be played back together with them. Alternatively, the control signal may be embedded in the broadcast data in real time using, for example, a VITC time code generator or NORPAK data insertion unit.

Further, the method of obtaining the control signal can be performed by either pushing from the scheduling system 106 or polling the scheduling system 106.

Broadcast server 110 is preferably a computer system that executes one or more software programs that provide the functionality described herein. Suitable broadcast servers are Alameda, California.
Of Wink Communications, Inc. Made Win Bro
This is the adcast server. Broadcast server 110 includes an interactive application database 112. Interactive application database 112 stores interactive applications or other forms of interactivity that are broadcast to various remotely distributed BRs 120.
Interactive applications and other forms of interactive content may be added to the interactive application database 112 by the broadcaster 114 or other program provider, and to the database 112 by a secure network link or other transmission medium. It may be transmitted. Fields in database 112 associate an interactive application with, for example, a particular station, network, channel, broadcast program, and / or broadcast time. Also, each interactive application in database 112 preferably has a unique interactive application identification code that can identify it. The association of the interactive application identification code with the broadcast program identification code (as used by the broadcast source) enables the broadcast server 112 to selectively retrieve interactive applications in response to receiving the program identification code. to enable.
For ease of reference, the term "interactive application" includes all forms of interactivity for broadcast programs equivalent to those described or disclosed herein.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the interactive application stored in the database 112 is described by the compact communication protocol. The compact protocol is designed to broadcast a compact set of information and commands between system components in an efficient manner, thereby enabling low bandwidth transmission such as vertical blanking interval ("VBI"). Enable the use of. While the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses the compact protocol described herein, interactive applications may be implemented, for example, in Hypertext Markup Language ("HTML"), Extensible Markup Language ("XML"). ))
, SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC. Java language or HTML
It may be described by other protocols, including the base interactive television protocol ATVEF. Supporting definition (supported definition)
ons), scripts and commands, a detailed description of one compact protocol suitable for interactive applications is given in "Method and Apparatus for Rooting Sensitive Information".
"Routing Confidential Information)", which is described in US Pat. No. 5,689,799, which is incorporated herein by reference. As described further below, interactive applications are themselves software products consisting of executable code and data that configure and control the operation of broadcast receiver 120.

There may be multiple broadcast servers 110, with each broadcast server 110 serving a particular region, a group of broadcast stations or a group of subscribers. In one embodiment, each broadcast server 110 is identified by a unique server identification code.

Generally, the broadcast server 110 determines which interactive application should be broadcast on a particular channel at a particular time, and determines which interactive application corresponds to the particular channel and time or the broadcast program identification code. Search the database 112 to create an interactive broadcast application.

In order to determine which interactive applications will be broadcast at various times, channels, etc., the broadcast server 110 will use the traffic system 104.
The playlist 113 of the broadcast program broadcast from is received. Broadcast server 1
This information is used by 10 to identify and retrieve from database 112 the corresponding interactive application (if any) associated with each broadcast program. The broadcast server 110 also outputs commands that are broadcast to the BR 120 to start, stop, cancel, stop or resume interactive applications that may be received by the BR 120 or may already reside in its memory. BR 120 to do so.

The broadcast server 110 prepares the inserted interactive application by inserting it into a broadcast signal by formatting the interactive application as necessary. Broadcasting station 1
Using the playlist 113 received from 14, the broadcast server 110 passes the interactive application 115 and / or various commands to a data insertion unit (“DIU”) 116 to broadcast the interactive application 115 at the same time as the program is broadcast. It is incorporated in the data 117.

DIU 116 receives commands from interactive application 115 or broadcast server 110 and broadcast signals or feeds that carry broadcast programs corresponding to interactive application 115. Broadcast feeds may be received directly from the broadcast program source broadcast station 114, or from a third party such as a network, cable operator or local television station if the broadcast station does not provide the feed. . The DIU 116 converts the interactive application 115 and commands as broadcast data 117 into a format suitable for insertion into and transmission with a broadcast feed. DIU 116 may receive feeds from multiple broadcasters and a separate interactive application may be inserted for each feed. Similarly, the DIU 116 can simultaneously insert separate interactive applications into multiple channels from the same or different broadcast stations 114.

The DIU 116 inserts broadcast data 117 including interactive applications, commands and broadcast programs into a broadcast medium. Broadcast media is the frequency spectrum used to carry interactive applications 115. In one embodiment, the broadcast medium is a standard analog television signal that complies with the National Television Standards Committee (“NTSC”) standard, and VBI is used as a transport to broadcast interactive applications. A transport is a specific piece of broadcast media that carries an interactive application 115. In another embodiment, the broadcast medium is a standard MPEG2 digital video multiplex containing one or more MPEG2 video services, and the MPEG within this multiplex.
Two elementary stream (s) are used as transport. DIU 116 may operate with analog or digital video sources, and may instead act as an interface to a wide area network that directly connects broadcast station 114 or broadcast source 102 to various transmitters 118.

In one embodiment, the DIU 116 inserts data defining the interactive application into the VBI of the broadcast feed using conventional methods. North American Broadcast Teletext Standard (EIA-50)
6) defines methods and protocols for transmitting data on one or more lines of the VBI. However, a wide variety of other transport mechanisms are available, including those that broadcast the interactive application 115 separately from the television program. Such a transport mechanism allows interactive applications to be used in the unused portion of the television frequency spectrum.
5 out-of-band transmitter and conventional frequency modulation ("FM") transmitting interactive application 115 outside the television frequency spectrum.
Includes wireless transmitter. In another embodiment, the DIU inserts the data into the elementary stream in the MPEG2 multiplex using conventional methods.

In one embodiment, an error check code or error correction code such as a Hamming code is inserted with the data. In one embodiment, the DIU 116 translates the data into a Hamming code, and in another embodiment, the data received by the DIU 116 from the broadcast server 110 is already encoded.

The DIU 116 is a transmitter 1 that sends a broadcast feed from the broadcast server 110 that includes any inserted interactive applications or commands.
It is connected to 18. In one embodiment, the transmitter 118 is a satellite uplink that sends the feed to a local uplink receiver, which delivers the feed to the BR 120 via a cable. In another embodiment, transmitter 118 is a conventional cable system headend amplifier. In yet another embodiment, transmitter 118 is a conventional television broadcast transmitter or high definition television digital transmitter. In yet another embodiment, the transmitter 118 can send broadcast data over a WAN connection, the Internet or other public / private network.

In another embodiment, DIU 116 inserts interactive application 115 into a broadcast program before it is broadcast. For example, the DIU 116 is an interactive application for television
May be inserted in the source copy of the commercial. Thus, interactive applications are broadcast whenever commercials are broadcast.
In this embodiment, the broadcast server 110 need not synchronize the search for interactive applications with the schedules listed in the playlist.
However, the automation server 108 controls the synchronization of the operation of such broadcasted interactive applications during the broadcast of commercials and any interactive applications broadcast during the television program in which the commercials are broadcast. Will still be used.

Regardless of the transmission method and insertion time, the broadcast data 117, including the interactive application, is received by the subscriber's BR 120. Single BR
Although only 120 is shown in FIG. 1, in the exemplary embodiment, hundreds or thousands of BR1s that receive and respond to broadcast data 117 as described herein.
It is understood that there are 20. In the exemplary embodiment, BR 120 is a television set top box that receives data 117 via coaxial cable. The BR 120 may be integrated with the television. In addition, NT
Other broadcast receivers may also be used, including SC broadcast receivers, high definition television digital receivers, video cassette recorders or FM radio receivers.

The above architecture supports a number of useful embodiments, in which the automation server 108 controls the broadcast server 110 and is of various types to achieve synchronous behavior with the broadcast program. And send the data in the format. First, it should be noted that the broadcast server 110 may send other types of data separately from or in addition to the interactive applications. For example, a broadcast server may be a computer program or voice /
Data such as video data may be provided. The broadcast server may provide data, modalities, codes or triggers to interactive applications that were previously sent to the broadcast receiver.

These various types of data may be sent in accordance with the present invention in response to commands from automation server 108. For example, the broadcast server
The interactive application may be sent to the broadcast receiver well in advance of the time when the interactive application and its associated broadcast program appear. Then, in response to the command from the automation server 108, the broadcast server 110 sends a trigger code that triggers the execution of the previously loaded interactive application for execution in synchronization with the broadcast program. Good. Similarly, in response to the automation server 108, the broadcast server 110 sends modal or other data to update or update the features, user interface or functionality of an interactive application already resident at the broadcast receiver. May be modified. This allows the automation server 108 to operate or modify interactive applications in response to control signals from the scheduling system 106.

The broadcast server 110 also responds to commands from the automation server 108 by text, graphics, images, uniform resource locators (URLs), uniform resource identifiers (URIs), Hs.
Hypermedia data such as TML, XML, ATVEF, JAVA applets or other types or formats of data may be sent. For example,
In response to the scheduling system 106 providing a control signal indicating the start of the television show, the automation server 108 commands the broadcast server 110 to send the website or URL to the web page to the broadcast receiver. The broadcast receiver may also load the website for display to the user for synchronous display of the website with the television show.

Broadcast server 110 in response to commands from automation server 108
For any of these or other types of data that may be sent by the interactive application database or the like, the data associated with the broadcast program identifier for the broadcast program is stored. this is,
Allowing the automation server 108 to determine the appropriate data to be sent, given the broadcast program identifier from the control signal of the scheduling system 106.

[B. Broadcast Receiver] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a BR 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, BR120 is a General Instrument CFT-.
2200 CATV set top decoder. BR 120 is transmitter 118
A tuner 202 for receiving broadcast data 117 from In one embodiment, the tuner 202 is a conventional cable television tuner. In other embodiments, the tuner is a television broadcast tuner, an FM radio tuner, a digital tuner or some other form of tuner. In yet another embodiment, a personal computer with suitable hardware and software functions to display broadcast programs received on various types of transmission channels including cable, internet and satellite. May be. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 shows a display 218, typically a television, within the BR 120. As mentioned above, the display 218 may be external to the BR 120.

BR 120 also includes a data extractor 206 coupled to tuner 202 for extracting interactive applications from broadcast data 117. In one embodiment, the data extractor 206 is a conventional VBI in-band data extraction circuit. In another embodiment, the data extractor 206 is a conventional modem. The data extractor 206 provides a serial bitstream containing the extracted interactive application on the bus 208. Bus 208 is bus 2
08 through the first interactive storage device 2 as directed by a program stored in the secondary storage device 214.
12 is coupled to a microprocessor 210 for storage. In one embodiment, the microprocessor 210 uses the error code information from the extracted data to check or correct errors in the decoded interactive application. In one embodiment, the first storage device 212 is conventional random access memory (“RAM”), while the second storage device 214 is conventional read only memory (“ROM”). A third storage device 213, which may be RAM or flash memory, is coupled to the microprocessor 210 for storing reminder data. The advantage of flash memory is BR1
The software or data resident at 20 can be modified by the received interactive application.

In one embodiment, BR 120 also uses data extractor 206 to extract the time signal from broadcast data 117. The time signal indicates the current time using a standard time axis, such as Coordinated Universal Time (“UTC”) or the subscriber's local time. In another embodiment, the BR 120 has a real-time clock set either by the subscriber or the received time signal. Nevertheless, BR120
Preferably has access to the current time, and thus can perform data stamping and timing functions.

As described below, the microprocessor 210 stores the program stored in the second storage device 214 and the interactive storage stored in the first storage device 212.
The application is used to run an interactive application and provide output. The program stored in the second storage device 214 is preferably an execution engine 217 that executes interactive applications defined by various scripts, modalities, definitions and symbols and graphic resources. A preferred execution engine is Alameda, California
a, Wink Communications, Inc. It is a Wink engine provided by. The broadcast station receiver 120 may include an execution engine 217 or a native / native memory also stored in the second storage device 214.
As part of either operating system 219, it includes a timer function or equivalent timing specification that can be run as a background process that counts down from an input value.

The output by running the interactive application may be in the manner of presenting information or menus to a television viewer or receiving viewer input, for example, or includes BR 120 or television usage data. It may also be a silent or otherwise separate response that indicates the viewer's preference. For the purposes of the present invention, modalities may present any variety of information to obtain any variety of user reactions. To that end, the BR 120 is coupled to the bus 208 and is driven by a program stored in the interactive application 115 stored in the first storage device 212 and in the second storage device 214. 216 is preferably included. Graphic overlay generator 216 generates a graphic display in response to interactive application 115. This graphic display is a display 218, typically a television, coupled to a BR 120.
Is displayed in. Of course, graphic overlay generator 216 is typically not used when interactive applications are run silently.

In one embodiment, the graphic overlay generator 216 may include a tuner 2
A broadcast signal corresponding to the broadcast program from 02 is also received, for example, a simultaneous display of the broadcast program and the graphical aspects of interactive application 115 (if any) to enter data in the displayed manner. to enable. In one embodiment, the microprocessor 210 includes a user input receiver 22.
4 is also coupled to a user input decoder 222, which is coupled to the microprocessor 2 to respond to the interactive application 115.
Allows to communicate with 10. In one embodiment, the user input decoder 2
22 is a conventional infrared remote control decoder. The user input receiver 224 is preferably a conventional infrared receiver 224 that allows the user to use a conventional portable remote control device. The remote control key pressed by the user is converted into an encoded infrared signal received by the user input receiver 224, decoded by the user input decoder 222, and sent to the microprocessor 210,
Allows the user to communicate with the interactive application 115.

In one embodiment, the BR 120 is cabled via a broadband coaxial cable.
A cable television set-top decoder connected to the system. In this embodiment, the line driver 230 is an RF modem that typically uses the out-of-band portion of the RF spectrum and can send a response to the cable system headend over a coaxial cable, and the communication port 232 is a standard RF tap. Is. In another embodiment, the BR 120 is a television, VCR, or set top in which the line driver 230 is a standard telephone modem and the communication port 232 is a standard RJ-11 jack.

Microprocessor 210 may be coupled to a conventional infrared command encoder 226, which accepts infrared command inputs to encode signals for a conventional infrared transmitter 228 for interactive use. Allows the application 115 to control an external device.

[C. Execution of Interactive Application] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing steps for receiving and executing an interactive application using the compact information protocol according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The BR 120 is created by the broadcast server 110 and
Receives and decodes the application header record inserted by U116 and sent by transmitter 118 (310). The application header record describes the information including them according to the interactive application identification code.

The reminder function of an interactive application is described by definitions, scripts and commands that may be encoded and broadcast in any order. The definitions, scripts and commands are received and decoded by BR 120 (312) and define reminder and response parameters used when executing the reminder interactive application (314).

Some or all of the received reminder interactive application may be stored (312) in BR 120. In one embodiment, the interactive application is repeatedly broadcast to allow BR 120 to tune to the broadcast program whenever the entire interactive application is not being received. Any desired updates to the stored interactive application may be received and decoded (316).
. If there are additional or updated definitions, scripts or commands, these may be sent until the application is complete (318). In one embodiment, an end command may be broadcast to stop 320 the interactive application.

The new interactive application may be sent at any time, including while the original application is running or sending a response. For example, a new interactive application for commercials may interrupt the original application for news programs, and the present invention
Allows the latter application to resume operation when the former terminates.

In other embodiments with different forms of interactivity, such as URLs, the broadcast receiver 120 provides appropriate decoding, parsing and execution capabilities to suit the type of interactivity. Therefore, for the URL type data, the broadcast receiver 120
May include a browser and appropriate mechanisms for searching, loading and displaying web pages, JAVA applets, and the like.

[D. Automation server] [1. Overview of Automation Server Behavior The automation server 108 interfaces with the scheduling system 106 to receive the control signals that the latter provides to the broadcast program source 102. In addition, the automation server 108 is communicatively coupled to the broadcast server 110 to receive status information regarding which interactive applications are ready for broadcast or on which channel they are currently broadcast. The automation server 108 uses the status information and control signals, including its playlist, to generate specific commands for the broadcast server 110. These commands are sent to the broadcast server 110 for interactive
Command to selectively control the preparation of an application or the execution of an interactive application currently being broadcast.

In particular, the automation server 108 responds to the control signal by the broadcast server 1
Generate commands for 10 to schedule, start, stop, or cancel the execution of the interactive application. Automation server 108 generates a sequence of these commands to provide the appropriate interactivity for both commercial and television shows and other broadcast programs.
Achieve synchronous execution, including display and / or termination.

The control signals from the scheduling system 106 are either explicitly or implicitly associated with a particular channel. From the nature of the control signal, its channel assignments and playlist information, the automation server 108 determines the state and type of the current broadcast program being broadcast or the next broadcast program to be broadcast, when deemed appropriate. In particular, the automation server 108 determines whether the control signal indicates whether the program currently being broadcast is a television show or a commercial.

Automation in response to receiving a control signal indicating that the commercial has begun broadcasting on a particular channel (ie, a control signal to one of the broadcast sources that reproduces broadcast data for the commercial). The server 108 determines if an interactive application is currently running on that channel and, if so, generates a command to the broadcast server 110 that suspends (stops) the execution of the interactive application. Broadcast server 110
Sends this command to the broadcast receiver 120. A broadcast receiver tuned to the appropriate channel interrupts the execution of the interactive application. But,
Since the broadcast receiver 120 needs to re-execute the interactive application once the commercial ends, the automation server 108 should not cancel the interactive application so that it can be re-executed immediately. It should retain the state information it had when the commercial started.

Automation server 108 may determine if there are interactive applications associated with the commercial. If so, the automation server 108 directs the broadcast server to submit the interactive application for execution. If there is no interactive application specifically associated with the commercial, the automation server 108 may signal the broadcast server to begin executing the default interactive application.

At some point, the automation server 108 receives a control signal indicating that the commercial has ended. In response to this control signal, the automation server 108 generates a command to the broadcast server 110 to resume execution of the interactive application, and the broadcast server 110 sends the command to the broadcast receiver 120. The broadcast receiver tuned to the appropriate channel receives this command and resumes execution of the interactive application for the television program.

The effect perceived by the viewer here is that the interactive applications associated with the original television show have been removed from the television screen during the commercial. Interactive-specific, or default, applications for commercials are executed and displayed during commercials. When the commercial ends and the television show resumes, the interactive application of the television program reappears. When the interactive application reappears,
It has the state information that it had before the commercial (eg, the current score), thereby holding the viewer's use of the interactive application.

Broadcast programs such as television shows typically have a large number of segments of this format separated by commercial periods. The interactivity associated with a television program should be consistently available with its state information throughout each of the segments. The automation server 108 uses control signals to determine whether multiple segments are actually part of a single television show or other broadcast program, and thereby associated with the same interactive application. This result is achieved by correlating the information extracted from and identifying each segment being broadcast. By so correlating otherwise unrelated segments, the automation server 108 may properly suspend and resume a single interactive application of a television program over many commercial periods. it can. This process is described in further detail below with reference to FIG.

The automation server 108 may be implemented as a software product running on a conventional workstation or personal computer, such as with an Intel chipset and Microsoft operating system. Alternatively, it may be encoded in a dedicated ASIC or other hardware embodiment.

[2. Overview of Automation Server Functions] Referring now to FIG. 4, a functional architecture diagram of the automation server 108 is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the automation server 108 includes an interface manager 400. The interface manager 400 manages a plurality of channel interfaces 402, each of which is associated with one or more channels. Each channel interface 402 receives a control signal for its assigned channel from the scheduling system 106 and sends the broadcast server 11
Output command to 0.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the functional structure of the channel interface 402 is shown. Each channel interface module 402 includes a translator module 502 and an event manager 504. Translator
Module 502 receives control signals from scheduling system 106 and translates these signals into atomic commands. Event manager 50
4 receives the atomic commands and processes them into commands understood by the broadcast server 110.

[3. Interface Manager] Referring to FIG. 6, a life cycle interaction diagram of the interface manager 400 is shown. Interface manager 400 creates and maintains all channel interfaces 402 for different scheduling systems 106. The interface manager 400 has three main phases: initialization phase, running phase and shutdown phase. When the automation server 108 starts, it
Create a manager 400 (602) and initialize it. During this initialization phase, the interface manager 400 calls the initialization (ini) file (
604) Create (606) and initialize (608) the different channel interfaces 402 needed to cooperate with the scheduling system 106.

Once the interface manager 400 has created and initialized all the necessary objects, it transitions to the running phase. During this phase, interface manager 400 requests each channel interface 402 to operate (610).

Typically, the automation server 108 and its interface manager 400 stay in the running phase for an extended period of time. However, if there is an unrecoverable error or if the automation server 108 needs to be upgraded, the automation server 108 will be shut down. During this shutdown phase, the interface manager requests each channel interface 402 to shut down (612).

Referring to FIG. 7, a life cycle interaction diagram for each channel interface 402 is shown. As shown in FIG. 4, each channel interface 402 includes a translator module 502 and an event manager 504.
including. The channel interface 402 also has three major phases: an initialization phase, a running phase and a shut down phase.

During the initialization phase, it creates (702) and initializes (704) a translator module 502 and an event manager 504. Event
The initialization parameters of the manager 504 include the following information.

[0085]   • How to configure broadcast server events for each event type.   • Where to find interactive applications.   Parameters for fine tuning the timing of the automation server.

[0086]   -How to connect to the broadcast server.   • How to respond to sudden disconnects from the broadcast server.   ・ Is the event scheduled in advance?

[0087]   The translator module 502 initialization parameters include the following information:   • How to connect to the scheduling system.   • How to respond to sudden disconnects from the scheduling system.

If it can be used in different ways by different broadcasters,
Scheduling system specific parameters such as how to interpret a particular command.

Fine tuning on how to call and interpret commands from the scheduling system. • Regular expressions or other information used to distinguish commercials from shows.

During the running phase, the channel interface 402 enters an infinite loop (event loop) (708) and the scheduling system 106
Process any control signals from. The channel interface 402 may receive the request directly from a separate automation server client (eg, a cutoff request). The channel interface 402 requests atomic commands from the translator module 502 (710) and passes them to the event manager 504 if they are event related (712). If the atomic commands are Null or Error commands, the channel interface 402 processes the commands themselves (71).
4). If an unrecoverable error occurs, the error is logged and the event loop is exited (715).

During the shutdown phase, the channel interface 402 has received a request to shut down (716) and therefore sends the request to them so that the translator module 502 and the event manager 504 can explicitly shut down. Do (7
18). Once they shut down, the channel interface 402 cleans itself up and returns from the event loop to shut itself down.

[4. Overview of the Translator Module] Each broadcast program may be understood to have a particular "life cycle." This life cycle is managed by the scheduling system 106, which basically also operates as a state machine for each broadcast program. However, the scheduling system 106 provides only a limited amount of information about the broadcast program, typically as needed to control the broadcast source.

Then, for each broadcast program, the translator module 502 recreates the life cycle of the broadcast program by reconstructing the state machine behavior for the limited information it receives from the scheduling system 106. And this allows the event manager 504 to be provided with the appropriate atomic commands to manage interactive applications that may be associated with the broadcast program. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
02 creates and maintains a state machine 510 for each unique broadcast program identified by a control signal from scheduling system 106.

Each translator module 502 is specific to the scheduling system 106 with which it is communicating, and
To a sequence of events that the translator module 502 understands. Since each type of scheduling system 106 provides different types of information in its respective control signal, the cause of errors and missing information is clarified and the implicit state machine of scheduling system 106
It needs to map to the state machine defined by the translator module 502.

As mentioned above, there are various types of scheduling systems 106, each of which outputs different types of control signals with different levels of information, so that each of the translator modules 502 is It corresponds to a particular type of scheduling system 106. But all scheduling
The system 106 could be described with respect to an "ideal" scheduling system 106 that provides the most complete set of control signals. Table 1 lists the control signal types provided by the ideal scheduling system 106 and the data contained in each of these ideal signal types.

[0096]

[Table 1]

These signals have all of the specified data present, allowing the translator module 502 to very easily determine the proper state of the broadcast program,
It is ideal in the sense that it can form the data needed to communicate to manager 504. In the non-ideal scheduling system 106, the translator module 502 uses an additional external data source to broadcast server 110.
Determine the appropriate data to send to the event manager 504, such as a playlist, and information about the relationship of the interactive application to the broadcast program identifier contained in the interactive application database.

The preload signal is broadcast source 10 in anticipation of being broadcast at a later time.
6 is a control signal typically used by the scheduling system 106 to load the broadcast program into the 6. Ideally, this signal contains a program ID that uniquely identifies the broadcast program being loaded. Channel identification identifies a channel for broadcast, but the channel may be implicit or explicit. The duration specifies the duration of the broadcast program. This is used by the automation server 108 to terminate the interactive application in the absence of an explicit stop signal from the scheduling system 106.

The preload signal may or may not be received at the correct time. That is, in some scheduling systems, they are received correctly (with a fraction of a second accuracy prior to broadcasting the event). In other scheduling systems, it may be received seconds to hours prior to the broadcasting of the event. Preroll event start and event stop signals must be timed accurately. If the native control signal is used for both preload and other control signals, it must be accurately timed.

The position (location) of the interactive application specifies the position of the interactive application designated to accompany the broadcast program. This location may be specified in the interactive application database 112 or may be the pathname into the file directory where the interactive application is stored. The event type defines the type of broadcast program. The number of types depends on the system design and may simply distinguish between television shows and commercials, or may further identify program guides, close captions or other types of broadcast content. Event types are described further below with respect to Event Manager 504 and Table 7.

Since these signals and their data content relate to the ideal scheduling system 106, the actual scheduling system 10
6 may use fewer of these signals and only some or both of the identified data. However, the translator module 502 and the event manager 504 manage the broadcast server 110 by operating and completing whatever data is missing from these control signals.

For an ideal control signal, an “ideal” translator module 502 can be defined. The ideal translator module 502 maps the control signals from the scheduling system 106 into a series of atomic commands used by the event manager 504. As such, this ideal translator responds to the life cycle of any broadcast program and how the event manager 504 responds to different states of the broadcast program's life cycle to determine the interactive application associated with that broadcast program. Indicates whether a command can be generated for the broadcast server 110 that controls execution.

Table 2 shows the atomic modules generated by the translator module 502.
The commands are listed.

[0104]

[Table 2]

Since it takes time for the broadcast server 110 to schedule interactive applications, in some situations the translator module 50
2 may not be able to send the schedule atomic command fast enough to allow the interactive application to synchronize with the video data being broadcast. In this case, the interactive application may be pre-scheduled at the broadcast server 110 by some other manual or automated process, and the automation server 108 may be pre-scheduled instead of instructing the broadcast server 110 to schedule. Save time by looking for the interactive application that was created. In this mode, pre-scheduled events may be broadcast again, so
Automation server 108 does not cancel them. Instead, the process that scheduled them is responsible for canceling them.

The actual translator module 502 for any particular scheduling system 106 is derived from the ideal translator module 502. Referring now to FIG. 8, a state machine description of an ideal translator state machine 510 is shown. It may be understood that each broadcast program transitions through a number of states defined by the control signals.

The state machine starts in the start state 800. From this state, the translator module 502 is in the loaded state 802.
Move to. The loaded state 802 has three different ideal signals 801,
That is, it can be reached from either a preload signal, a preroll signal or a start signal.

Generally, the first control signal 801 received by the translator module 502 will be a preload signal. Scheduling system 106
Above, this signal indicates that the broadcast program is about to be broadcast. If the preload signal has not been previously received, the start state 802 is also reached with the preroll signal, as described above. The pre-roll signal also indicates that the broadcast program is about to be broadcast.

In the loaded state 802, the translator module 502 determines the appropriate interactive application associated with the broadcast program and schedules its execution. Translator module 502
Determines as close as possible to the ideal data for this condition, such as the broadcast program ID for the broadcast program, the event type, and the location of the associated interactive application. The event type describes the type of broadcast program, such as television show, commercial or unknown. Event types are described further below. In some cases, the translator module 502 is associated with a particular channel, so the channel assignment is implicit; in other cases, the channel may be explicitly encoded in the control signal.

More specifically, the translator module 502 logs the current time and the received signal. The translator module 502 sets the broadcast program ID related to the associated interactive application to the broadcast program ID included in the control signal. If necessary, the translator module 502 calculates the event type using regular expressions (see below). Otherwise, the translator module 502 sets the event type to unknown and leaves it to the event manager 504 to determine the event type from the data contained in the interactive application itself. If necessary,
The translator module 502 also sets the location of the interactive application to be the broadcast program ID, but the event manager 504 also properly determines the actual location based on the broadcast program ID and the broadcast program segment number. To do.

Then, the translator module 502 creates a schedule command using the created ideal data and outputs it to the event manager 504.
This schedule command determines to the broadcast server to determine if there is an interactive application associated with the broadcast program ID for the broadcast program and, if any, prepares to broadcast the identified interactive application. Command the event manager 504.

The next state is the prepared state 804. This state is reached from the state 802 loaded with either the pre-roll signal or the start signal. There is also an automatic transition to the prepared state 804 if the pre-roll signal or the start signal was the first signal 801 received. That is, if any of these signals were received as the first signal 801, the translator module 502 will automatically go through the loaded state 802, the prepared state 804 and the on-air state 806. Transition.

The prepared state 804 is the atomic state sent to the event manager 504.
Control the timing of commands. Before being started, the automation server 108 is designed as to how long before the scheduling system can start receiving the pre-roll signal. This is usually between 1 and 10 seconds and is usually measured in milliseconds. Upon receiving the pre-roll signal or the start signal, the ideal translator module enters ready state 804. The prepared state 804 is preferably paused for XY microseconds, where X is how soon the pre-roll signal comes in and Y is the event manager 504 and the broadcast server 110 interacting with the broadcast program. -The length of time required to start the application (event). After that time, the translator module 502 will automatically turn on the on-air status 806.
The event is started there. It also generates a start signal 805 that can be used by other event state machines (see the section on Broadcast Stop State below). Note that if XY is less than zero or if the control signal is a start signal, then the ready state 804 does not wait at all. Instead, it immediately transitions to the broadcasting state 806, allowing the broadcast server event to start as soon as possible.

The “broadcasting” state 806 occurs automatically after the prepared state 804. In this state, the translator module 502 creates a start atomic command and sends it to the event manager 504. When combined with the pause introduced in the prepared state 804, this has the effect of starting the interactive application and starting it with the broadcast program.

During the airing state 806, the additional signal forming the secondary trigger 809 may be received and processed (810). These secondary triggers can lead to the execution of additional functions associated with the broadcast interactive application.

The event stop signal 807 ends the broadcast, resulting in a “broadcast stop” status 8
It will be 08. This state cancels the event. That is, the translator module 502 creates a cancel command based on the current broadcast program ID and sends it to the event manager 504 to cancel the current interactive application. This condition can be triggered by control signals associated with other events. For example, if the scheduling system's native control signal does not include an event stop signal, an event start signal for the next event will stop the previous event.

Regarding the error signal, the translator module 502 creates a cancel command based on the current broadcast program ID, which is generated by the event manager 504.
To cancel the current interactive application.

Thus, these states represent the life cycle of each broadcast program as seen by scheduling system 106. From this information, the automation server 108 determines the status for the interactive application associated with the broadcast program and generates the appropriate command to the broadcast server 110 for that status.

Thus, the translator module 502 is designed to manage broadcast programs on the particular channels corresponding to these states. More specifically, translator module 502 maintains a state machine 510 for each broadcast program ID it receives. This state machine is created each time a new broadcast program ID is received and is maintained by the scheduling system 106 until it indicates that the broadcast program has finished.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown a flow chart of the overall operation of the translator module 502, and in particular its mapping logic 506. Each time translator module 502 receives a control signal from scheduling system 106 (900), it determines whether the control signal is associated with the event it manages (902). An event is indicated by an error signal or other data representing a broadcast program ID or broadcast program, as opposed to other data such as startup, shutdown, error or system messages.

Translator module 5 if the control signal is not event related
02 determines if it is an error signal (904). The error signal is passed to the event manager module 504 for processing (906).

If the control signal is not an error signal, it is ignored (910). If the signal is an event signal, the translator module 502 applies the mapping logic 506 using the event's broadcast program ID as a key to the state machine to determine whether the identified event is a new event or is already a state machine. It is determined whether 510 is an existing event. If the event is a new event, the translator module 502 instantiates a new state machine 510 for the broadcast program ID and event (912) and starts the state machine 510 (914).

If there is an existing state machine, the event control signal is passed to the state machine 510 associated with the broadcast program ID (916). The state machine 510 then handles the events with its state logic as described above for the ideal state machine and as described in further detail below for particular translator types.

[5. Translator Type] Each scheduling system 106 includes a translator module 502.
Produces a series of control signals unique to itself, which are interpreted by. The following sections describe how a particular translator module may be implemented based on the ideal translator module state diagram. That is, the scheduling system specific control signals can be mapped onto the general control signals in the ideal translator. Each particular translator module 502 goes through the same states as described in the ideal translator module.
However, the state behavior for each particular translator is slightly different to account for the difference in the control signals they receive.

The mapping of ideal translator state machines to specific state machines for each type of translator is summarized in Tables 4-6 below. The column headings for these tables are defined in Table 3.

[0126]

[Table 3]

A) Translator Type 1: Basic Scheduling System The basic scheduling system 106 is a system that normally encodes very little data in its control signal other than the broadcast program ID. Interpretation of this control signal via the translator's state machine involves the creation and reasoning of appropriate data to recover what was ideal data for the ideal control signal. An example of the basic scheduling system 106 is Louth
ADC-100.

In one embodiment, the automation server 108 interfaces with a basic scheduling system by emulating a subtitler. In one embodiment, such as with a Louth scheduling system, the emulated subtitler is a Cavena subtitler. Typically, the basic scheduling system 106 sends a signal to the subtitler to create a subtitle, start the subtitle, and stop the subtitle displayed on the video program data of the broadcast program. In the present invention, the automation server 108 uses these control signals to synchronize the interactive application with the video.

Some basic scheduling systems 106 preferably have the ability to provide preroll information. In this case, it is ready signal (Prepare Signal) in an adaptable number of seconds before the actual start of the broadcast program.
To send. The automation server 108 uses this information to interactively deliver to the user just as the broadcast program begins.
Preload and start your application faster. Therefore, the Type 1 translator transitions through the loaded state 802, the prepared state 804, and the airing state 806 when it receives the ready signal. This is described in Table 4 as automatic migration.

The automation server 108 is the basic scheduling system 106.
When the start signal 805 is received from the
Ignore the start signal as we know the application is already started. If there is an error in the control signal of the basic scheduling system, the automation server 108 stops the current interactive application and moves to error state 812.

Table 4 summarizes the relationship between the native control signals for the basic scheduling system 106, the ideal control signals, and the state transitions for the ideal translator module 502 state machine.

[0132]

[Table 4]

B) Translator Type 2: Code-Based Scheduling System The second type of scheduling system 106 uses identification codes to selectively distinguish between television shows and commercials. An example of this type of scheduling system 106 is ESPN Inc. Is an ISCI code-based system such as that used in the broadcast system by the. In this type of system, the ISCI code is present in broadcast programs such as commercials and not in television shows. These types of codes may be provided directly by scheduling system 106 or indirectly pre-recorded on a medium (eg, videotape) with the broadcast program.

Another type of code-based system uses a code that uniquely identifies an interactive application, URL, URI, etc. The automation server 108 interfaces with the code-based scheduling system 106 through a VITC timecode reader or similar timecode reader. Code-based scheduling systems send ISCI information during commercials and not ISCI information during shows over VITC timecode. The automation server 108
This information is used to selectively add interactive applications during commercials and shows. Since the scheduling system control signals do not identify the show by broadcast program ID, only default interactive applications are supported.

In general, when the control signal includes the presence of ISCI or similar code, the translator 502 knows that a commercial has begun. Therefore, the state machine 510 transitions through the loaded, prepared, and on-air states to start the interactive application. These migrations occur automatically as described in Table 5, as automatic migrations. ISCI code (or other code such as URL, application identifier) when loaded
Is used as the broadcast program ID for the ideal data (eg, save the code as the broadcast program ID). This allows the event manager 504 to determine the appropriate interactive application.

When the ISCI code changes, the translator 502 knows that a new commercial has begun. Therefore, the state machine 510 transitions through the broadcast state to stop the interactive content and creates a cancel atomic command to cancel the current interactive application for the commercial. The translator 502 creates a new state machine 510 for the new ISCI code,
The state machine 510 transitions through loaded, prepared, and on-air states, and a start atomic command is generated to start a new commercial interactive application.

When the control signal does not include an ISCI code, the translator 502 knows that the television show has started (or is in progress). Therefore, the state machine 510 transitions through the broadcast state to stop the interactive content and creates a cancel atomic command that cancels the current interactive application for the commercial. Based on the same signal (ie no ISCI code at all), a new state machine 510 is created for the unknown broadcast program ID with the show event type. As described below, the event manager determines that this broadcast program ID should be associated with the default show. The state machine 510 steps through the loaded, prepared and on-air states and generates a start atomic command to start the default application for the television show. ISCI
When the code is detected again, the state machine 510 will proceed through the Stop Broadcast state and a cancel atomic command will be generated.

Since code-based systems often have small gaps with no data (especially during transitions between codes), the translator 502 can be modified before detecting the absence of ISCI code. Wait for seconds. This avoids false detections.

If there is an error in the control signal, the state machine 510 also cancels the current interactive content and moves to the error state. Table 5 shows the native control signals, ideal control signals, and ideal translator module 50 for the code-based scheduling system 106 for both commercial and default show events.
It summarizes the relationship with state transitions for two state machines.

[0140]

[Table 5]

C) Translator Type 3: Playlist based scheduling
System A third type of scheduling system 106 supported by the present invention is a playlist-based scheduling system. In this type of system, the control signal identifies the program being broadcast and its duration to provide the elements of the playlist. Also, in some cases, the program title of the broadcast program is included. An example of this type of scheduling system is the Library Management System (LMS) BZCA-1000 multi-cassette system provided by Sony Corporation, which runs the BZCA-1102 spot reel option software.

The automation server 108 interfaces with this type of scheduling system 106 by acting as a control terminal. The control terminal displays a transmission playlist, which is a table of scheduled events. LMS BA
The C-1200 control terminal is an example. The playlist includes event information such as broadcast program ID, program title, and duration of each broadcast program.

The playlist-based translator module 502 captures and parses all event information received from the scheduling system 106 (
Parse). Events appear in the send playlist prior to their broadcast time. When an event (eg, a broadcast program) appears in the send playlist, translator 502 preloads the interactive application for the event and transitions to loaded state 802. The scheduling system 106 provides pre-roll information for each event by sending the event state of the play control signal for a modifiable number of seconds before the event is on air.

The translator module 502 transitions through the prepared state 804 and the airing state 806 to start an interactive application when it receives a play control signal for an event. If the translator 502 misses the play control signal for the event and receives a broadcast or online control signal for the event due to network issues or some other problem,
Transition to the on-air state 806 to start the interactive application. In this case, the automation server 108 misses the benefit of the preroll information, but the interactive application is nevertheless started.

If the translator module 502 receives a broadcast or online signal and is not already in the prepared state 804, it treats the broadcast / online signal as a play signal and first transitions to the prepared state 804. Then, the state automatically shifts to the broadcasting state 806.

When the event data disappears from the send playlist, the translator module 502 transitions to the stop broadcasting state 808 and instructs the event manager 504 to cancel the current interactive application.

If any other kind of error occurs, such as losing the connection to the scheduling system, the automation server 108 will stop the current interactive application and move it to the error state.

Table 6 summarizes the native control signals for the playlist-based scheduling system 106 and the ideal control signal-state transition relationship for the ideal translation module 502 state machine. There is.

[0149]

[Table 6]

[6. Regular Event-based Translator Event Type Calculation] The scheduling system 106 that tracks the event type of the broadcast program ID can send that information directly to the automation server 108. Since many scheduling systems 106 do not support this feature, broadcast station 1
Some 14 use broadcast program IDs that distinguish between different types of broadcast programs, such as shows and commercials. The automation server 108 uses this information for itself. The translator 502 uses that information to determine what type of event to schedule. For example, a commercial broadcast program ID may have the prefix "VT" and a television show broadcast program ID may have a different prefix or no prefix at all. The automation server 108 uses the broadcast program I
Use regular expressions with D to distinguish between commercials and shows. Based on regular expression analysis, the event type is set to commercial if the broadcast program ID matches the commercial criteria, or set to show if the broadcast program ID matches the show criteria. . If the broadcast station 114 does not name the broadcast program ID to distinguish between shows and commercials,
Event type set to unknown. In such a case, the event manager 50
4 sees the actual interactive application file, whether there is a flag that tells whether the content is about a commercial or a show.

[7. Event Manager Overview] Referring to FIG. 5, event manager 504 receives various atomic commands 514 from translator module state machine 510 and responds accordingly to broadcast server 110 for control of its interactive application.
To order.

Generally, in a conventional system without the automation server 108, the broadcast server 110 sends the interactive application to the data insertion unit 116 according to a predetermined playlist that is a list of broadcast server events. To do.

However, the automation server 108 is
Via the control signals provided by 06 to automate the creation of playlists on the broadcast server and dynamically add, delete and modify events on the playlists on the broadcast server to create a playlist for the scheduling system. Can adapt to real-time changes. Although the broadcast server playlist may include events for all channels, the event manager 504 manages only events for the channels on which it receives atomic commands.

FIG. 5 shows how the translator module 502 sends an atomic command 514 to the event manager 504. Event manager 504 interprets atomic commands 514 to generate a series of basic commands to broadcast server 110. Upon receiving the atomic command 514, the event manager 504 maps the broadcast program ID contained therein to a particular broadcast server event via the mapping logic 508.
If no suitable broadcast server event exists for a particular broadcast program ID, event manager 504 creates a broadcast server event. In general, the event manager 502 creates, modifies or destroys broadcast server events as needed.

The event manager 504 maintains a separate state machine 512 for each broadcast server event it manages. Each state machine is an event broadcast program I
Assigned to the event by D. Atomic commands from translator module 502 are then sent to these state machines based on their broadcast program ID. This process is followed by the atomic command
Described in the Mapping Logic section. The event state machine 512 is responsible for generating the correct broadcast server basic commands. It is described in detail in the Event State Machine section below.

Two called translator module 502 and event manager 504
A relatively simple and efficient event manager 50 using two state machines
While allowing four implementations, any of a variety of different types of scheduling systems 106 can be easily interfaced with the automation server 108. This allows a new translator module 502 to be created for cooperation with the new scheduling system 106 without the need to modify the event manager 504.

Since different event types cause the atomic command mapping logic 508 and the event state machine 512 to behave differently, the sections below describe the various event types supported by the event manager 504. Define.

A) Event Type The event type determines how the broadcast server event should behave. There are three different categories that define event behavior.

Broadcast Program Type Segmentation Interactivity Program types can be commercial, show or unknown. Commercials are usually short (30-120 seconds) independent pieces of television programming. A show is a television program that includes one or more segments.
One or more commercials are aired during the television show segment. The automation server 108 is the scheduling system 10
If the program type cannot be determined from the control signal sent by 6, then the type is set to unknown. In general, unknown events may be treated as independent programming, like commercials, or they may be treated like television shows.

Program type and segmentation are closely related. In the preferred embodiment, television shows are always treated as unsegmented and commercials are always treated as unsegmented. Unknown programs can be treated as some programs. The handling of segmented television shows is further described below with reference to FIG.

Interactivity (eg, interactive applications) can be either regular interactive events or default interactive events. A normal event is an event with which a particular interactive application is associated. The event manager 504 may replace the default interactive application with the duration of the event if it cannot find the particular interactive application associated with the event in the interactive application database 112. No events can also be identified as default events, which means that the interactive application will not be broadcast for the duration of the event.

The table below lists the six event types and summarizes the behavior of each event type.

[0163]

[Table 7]

The event type is also used to determine broadcast server event settings. b) Determine Event Type The event type is first determined by the translator module 502 and passed to the event manager 504 in atomic command 514. In some cases, the translator module 502 does not have enough information to determine the actual event type. The translator module 502 makes the initial decision regarding the event type, but the event manager 504
The event type may be changed if it has better information. The event manager 504 has two pieces of information that the translator module 502 does not have. 1. Event manager 504 knows if an interactive application exists for the event's broadcast program ID. 2. Event manager 504 can obtain event type information from the interactive application.

The application contains information to determine if it can be interrupted. Automation server 108 assumes that all television shows are interruptible and not all commercials are interruptible.

Combining the event manager information and the translator module information, the event manager 504 can determine the appropriate event type as summarized in the table below.

[0167]

[Table 8]

C) Atomic Command Mapping Logic The event manager 504 has a separate state machine 5 for each event it manages.
Keep twelve. The event manager 504 is a translator module 5
Upon receiving an atomic command 514 from 02, the atomic program's broadcast program ID must be associated with the appropriate broadcast server event and passed to the appropriate state machine 512. This process is performed by the event manager mapping logic 508.

Mapping logic 508 creates and maintains an event association table that associates broadcast program IDs with broadcast server event IDs. Only scheduled atomic commands can cause new broadcast server events to be created. As a result, they can only add a new row to the event association table that associates the broadcast program ID with the ID of the new broadcast server event. When an event interferes with the state machine 512 and the state machine is destroyed, the association is removed from the table.

FIG. 10 illustrates the state behavior of one embodiment of mapping logic 508.
Table 9 illustrates this figure.

[0171]

[Table 9]

When creating a new event state machine, the mapping logic 508
Determine the event type according to the rules in Table 8 above. For regular non-segmented interactive events, there is a one-to-one mapping between scheduling system events and broadcast server events in the event association table. Two notable exceptions are described next.

D) Special case event mapping In general, there is a one-to-one mapping between scheduling system events and broadcast server events. Two notable exceptions are described here.

(I) Default Events At startup, the event manager 504 creates three broadcast server events (one for each default event type). These are the first three events in the event association table. As described above with respect to event types, a default event is selected when an interactive application cannot be found for the specified broadcast program ID.
To support this, the event association table allows multiple broadcast program IDs to map to the same default event ID. When the mapping logic 508 receives a schedule atomic command that does not have an interactive application associated with it, the mapping logic 508 assigns its broadcast program ID to the event specified in the schedule atomic command. Associate with the default event corresponding to the type. The mapping logic 508 does not pass the schedule atomic command because the default event has already been scheduled.

(Ii) Segmented Events As mentioned above, a single television show can be segmented into multiple parts. For the scheduling system 106, a show is a series of multiple events, each with its own broadcast program ID. For broadcast servers, a television show is a single event that is interrupted and resumed segment by segment. As a result, the event association table fills this gap by matching multiple broadcast program IDs to a single broadcast server event.

Event mapping logic 5 if the scheduling system 106 provides information regarding segmentation in its broadcast program ID.
08 creates a new event state machine 512 for the first segment of the television show and automatically maps all other segments to the same event state machine 512.

Unfortunately, most scheduling systems do not provide this information. Therefore, the automation server 108 determines if two different broadcast program IDs are mapped to the same interactive application in the interactive application database 112, so that the two broadcast program IDs are the same television application. Determine if it is associated with a show. The mapping logic 508 is for the television that has a new broadcast program ID already listed in the event association table.
Judging that it is related to another segment of the show, 1. 1. In the event association table, associate the new broadcast program ID with a preexisting broadcast server event, Do not pass the schedule atomic command because the show is already scheduled.

This is described in further detail in the Event State Machine and Segmentation section below. e) Broadcast server basic commands The event manager state machine issues four broadcast server basic commands: schedule, start, stop and cancel to control the broadcast server. These are similar to atomic commands of the same name. The schedule creates an interactive application for broadcasting and adds it to the playlist on the broadcasting server. Start will start the broadcast of the interactive application and Stop will stop the broadcast. Canceling stops the interactive application (if it is not already stopped) and the interactive
Remove the application to remove the associated event from the broadcast server playlist.

In an alternative embodiment, these special commands may be interrupted indefinitely, interrupted for a selected time interval, restarted immediately, restarted after a selected time interval, and so on. It may be extended to include complex behavior.

Also, the content of the command, ie the type of interactivity that can be managed by the command, is variable and again depends on the type of interactivity determined by the system designer. As such, the command may schedule or initiate a trigger for previously broadcast interactivity, morphology or other data, URLs, web pages, Java applets or other hypermedia interactivity, etc.

[8. Event State Machine] Atomic commands terminate their lifetime at a particular event state machine 512. Each event state machine 512 is associated with a broadcast server event and controls all actions related to that event. Atomic command mapping logic 508 determines which state machine 512 receives a particular atomic command (with some exceptions described below).

FIG. 11 illustrates the behavior of the event state machine 512 for commercial, television,
Shown with details about the show and default event types. The event state machine tracks the life cycle of events. In FIG. 11, the state transitions are specified as follows to show what type of event they apply to.

[0183]   C: Transition applied to commercial events   S: Transition applied to television show events   D: Transition applied to default event   In general, events go through the following states:

Scheduled State 1102: The Schedule Atomic Command from Translator Module 502 causes an event to be scheduled on the broadcast server. State machine 512 issues broadcast scheduling primitives that create interactive applications for broadcasts,
Instruct the broadcast server 110 to add it to the broadcast server's playlist. After scheduling, the event needs to be initiated by the initiate atomic command.

Started state 1104, stopped state 1106: A start command from translator module 502 transitions the state machine to started state 1104. The state machine issues a start broadcast primitive. Once started, the event can be started and stopped any number of times with the start and stop atomic commands. The state machine transitions to the stopped state 1106 for television shows and default events only, and does not reach the stopped state 1106 for commercial events.

In response to the start broadcast primitive, the broadcast server 110 sends the interactive application if it has not been previously sent, or if the application has been previously sent, the interactive application. An interactive application can be started in a variety of ways, including sending a trigger to start execution. Similarly, the broadcast server 110
As mentioned above, other types of data such as morphology and content can be
It may be sent to the application, a URL, or the like.

Secondary Trigger Processing Stage 1108: An event may generate zero or more secondary triggers, also after being initiated. Secondary triggers are effects that occur while an event is active (ie, scheduled on the broadcast server). One example is a 5 minute alert to the end user before the event ends. These triggers are created by the scheduling system 106 and passed as control signals to the translator module.

Canceled state 1110: Finally, once the broadcast program associated with the event has ended, a cancel atomic command is sent from the translator module 502. The state machine responds by issuing a cancel broadcast primitive to the broadcast server 110, which cancels the event. This state is reached differently for different events. commercial·
For events, cancel atomic from the translator module 502
This state is reached when a command is received, for television show events this state is reached when the next television state command is received, and finally for the default event, blocked Sometimes this state is reached.

In order to accurately synchronize the start of a broadcast server event (interactive application) with its associated scheduling system broadcast program, some scheduling systems support preroll. The preroll is a device (that the scheduling system 106 controls).
It is the length of time that a VTR, etc.) needs to complete an action (such as starting to air a program). The scheduling system 106 can provide the same type of pre-roll alert to the automation server 108, giving it time to start the interactive application. Some scheduling systems support only one preroll value. automation·
If the response time of the server 108 is faster than the pre-roll value, the automation server 108 will introduce some additional delay in initiating the broadcast server event. This fine tuning timing is done in the event state machine by the system designer. The started, stopped and canceled states can all introduce a certain amount of delay before actually starting, stopping or canceling a broadcast server event.

All broadcast server events share this same basic state machine, but the event state machine is different for each event type. The details of these differences are described below.

Secondary triggers are treated the same for all event types. Secondary triggers are a way to extend the automation server 108. Some scheduling systems 106 support more than just the basic control signals (preload, preroll, on-air and off-air). They are, for example,
A control signal may be sent 5 minutes before the end of the program to alert the device that the program is about to end. The automation server can use this signal to update the current interactive application and alert the viewer that it is about to end. This is just one example of how a secondary trigger can be used.

A) Commercial Event Type This is the simplest event state machine. Commercial events are neither stopped nor restarted, so they are scheduled, started (potentially with some secondary triggers), and finally canceled. The following table summarizes the states, the atomic commands that enter them, and the actions taken by the states.

[0193]

[Table 10]

B) Show Event Type The show event state machine 512 is very similar to the commercial event state machine, but again it must account for segmentation (discussed in the event type section).

Unlike commercial events, the show command needs to be restarted at some future time, so the cancel command only stops the show event. Start of the next show This show can only be canceled when an atomic command is received. The following table summarizes the states, the atomic commands that enter the states, and the actions taken by the states.

[0196]

[Table 11]

C) Default Event Types There are three different types of default events: default show events, default commercial events and default unknown events. The default event is used when there is no interactive application associated with that broadcast program ID.

Unlike commercial events, the cancel event only stops the default event because the default event needs to be restarted at some future time. It is only canceled when the automation server 108 is shut down. The main difference between normal and default events is that two consecutive broadcast program IDs can mean the same default event. In this case, it is preferable to restart the default event without stopping it. Instead, the default event is allowed to continue airing. For this to work, the "stopped" state is
Do not actually stop that event until you are certain that the next start atomic command is also not about this default event. Regardless of the default event type, the table below shows the states and the atomic
It summarizes the actions taken by the command and its state.

[0199]

[Table 12]

[9. Segmentation] FIG. 12 provides a stable experience to the viewer, while also providing suitable interactive applications during any commercial, while providing
It shows how to handle segmentation of a television show in order to maintain proper interactive applications during different segments of the show.

In FIG. 12, a scheduling system 106, (ideal) translator module 502 and events for control signals, atomic commands and broadcast server commands when processing a segmented television show. -Event traces of the flow from manager 504 are shown.
Show A, a television show, consists of two segments A.A. 1 and A. It will be broadcast on 2. Between these segments is Commercial AdX. Segment A. The second is followed by the commercial AdY, followed by the new show, Show B. Here, the problem solved by the present invention is to provide some specific or default interactivity associated with AdX and AdY while both segments A.D. 1 and A. The same interactivity is maintained between the two (although the segment has a unique broadcast program ID). To achieve this result, both segments A. 1 and A. Two
The broadcast program ID for must be mapped by the event manager 504 to the same broadcast event (show A) in the event association table. This is done using the various procedures described above. Then, the sequence of control signals and atomic commands is as follows:

Show segment A. 1 1200: First, scheduling system 106 preloads A.A. Issue 1 signal.

1202: Next, the translator module 502 uses the segment A. Schedule 1. 1204: Event manager 504 creates a new state machine 512 for this event (Show A) and stores the mapping for this broadcast program ID and state machine in the event association table. The Show A state machine instructs the broadcast server 110 to schedule the appropriate interactive application for the broadcast with Show A.

1206: Then, the scheduling system 106 determines that the A. Issue either a preroll signal or a start signal for 1. 1208: The translator module 502 then determines some, potentially, by the amount of preroll and the length of time it takes for the event manager 504 and the broadcast server 110 to initiate a broadcast server event. After the delay amount of segment A. Start 1.

1210: In response, the Event Manager Show A state machine instructs the broadcast server to start the interactive application for Show A.

1212: Show A interactive application is broadcast receiver 12
0 to appear on a display device, such as a television set, coupled to the broadcast receiver 120.

If the scheduling system 106 first issues a pre-roll, then Show A. Translator module 502 ignores subsequent start signals from scheduling system 106 because 1 has already been started.

AdX 1214: After some time, the scheduling system 106 issues a preload signal for AdX.

1216: And the translator module 502 schedules AdX.
Issue an atomic command. 1218: The event manager issues a schedule command to the broadcast server 110 to schedule interactive applications (including defaults) for AdX.

1220: And the scheduling system 106 issues a pre-roll or start Ad signal. 1222, 1224: Translator module 502 does not know that there is another segment to show A, so segment A. Send the cancel command for 1 and then send the start AdX command. (Scheduling
System 106 shuts down A. Sending a 1 is ignored because it comes after the preload and preroll for AdX. ) 1226, 1228: Normally, the event manager 504 is the segment A. Respond by canceling 1. However, the event manager 504 temporarily ignores the cancel command and instead stops the interactive application for show A. Issue a command and a start AdX command to start execution of the AdX interactive application.

1230, 1232: When these commands are received by the broadcast receiver,
The receiver suspends the execution of the interactive application for Show A, but does not terminate it, and begins execution of the AdX interactive application (or default application). Suspending an interactive application can mean things like game scores, the particular form the viewer was watching, etc.
It retains whatever state information it has. The interruption also has the additional effect of, for example, removing the Show A interactive application from the viewer's display on the television set, so that the Show A interactive application will not be displayed when AdX is on screen. No, AdX interactivity will proceed appropriately.

Event manager 504 delays the translator module's cancel command until it can determine that Show A has no other segments, which it does not know at this point. Then, this occurs when Show B starts, as shown below.

Show Segment A. 2 1234: When AdX is about to end, scheduling system 106
Is preloaded A. Issue 2 signals.

1236: Translator module 502 has schedule A. Issue 2 commands. At this point, the mapping logic 508 of the event manager 504 determines that the broadcast program ID for this event (segment A.2) is segment A.
It is determined that the broadcast program ID of 1 is correlated with the same interactive application. Therefore, the mapping logic 508 is responsible for segment A. Direct all commands for 2 (according to their broadcast program ID) to the event state machine for Show A. Since the interactive application for this segment of Show A is already loaded at the broadcast receiver, it is not necessary to have the broadcast server preload it here. Therefore, the event manager does not issue another schedule command.

1238: And the scheduling system 106 sends the pre-roll A. Two
Or start A. Issue either of the two signals. 1240, 1242: Translator module 502 uses the cancel command for AdX and segment A. Send start command for 2.

1244, 1246: Event manager 504 first instructs the broadcast server to cancel interactivity with AdX, and then issues a start command to show A.
Directs the Show A state machine to instruct the broadcast server to start an interactive application associated with. Since the interactive application for Show A has only been suspended previously, it will now start working again with whatever state it had before AdX started (1248).

Therefore, if Show A was a game show and its interactive application as a game application, suspending the application for AdX saves the viewer's total score (and other states) in the game. Would have done And it is segment A. 2 will be broadcast and recovered when the application is restarted.

AdY 1250: At some later time, the scheduling system 106 issues a preload AdY signal.

1252: The translator module 502 sends a Schedule Y command to the event manager 504. 1254: Event manager 504 schedules interactivity for AdY at the broadcast server.

1256: And the scheduling system 106 uses the pre-roll AdY.
Alternatively, the start AdY signal is issued. 1258, 1260: Translator module 502 is configured as segment A.
Send cancel command for 2 and start command for AdY.

1262, 1264: Again, the event manager 504 delays the cancel command and instead stops the interactivity for Show A, and if any interactivity for AdY (including default) Instruct the broadcast server to start. Show A's interactive application is suspended (12
66), interactivity with AdY is performed (1268).

Again, the state machine for show A does not yet know if there is another segment for show A, so segment A. Delay the cancellation of the second interactive application.

Show B 1270: Scheduling system 106 when AdY is about to end
Issues a preload show B signal.

1272: Translator module 502 schedules Show B. 1274: The Event Manager mapping logic 508 now determines that the program ID for Show B is different than Show A, so there are no other segments for Show A. A new state machine for Show B is started. Event manager 504 then issues Schedule Show B to the broadcast server to schedule interactivity with Show B. Event B still doesn't cancel show A's interactivity, because show B hasn't started yet.

1276: The scheduling system 106 then issues either the pre-roll or the start show B. 1278: 1280: Translator module 502 issues an atomic command to cancel AdY and start show B.

1282, 1284: The event manager 504 first cancels AdY,
Then direct the start command to the new Show B state machine. 1288: When the Start Show B command appears, it is clear that a new show has started, so Event Manager 504 shows Show A, Segment A. It is possible to safely cancel the interactivity related to 2. This cancel command does not come directly from the translator module 502, but is synthesized by the event manager's Show A state machine based on the start command for Show B. Show B
Can be scheduled several hours ahead of its broadcast, so show A's interactivity should not be canceled until show B actually starts. Also note that cancellations cannot occur when scheduling Event B because of the potential for a back-to-back show and because Show B can be scheduled several hours ahead of its start time.

In some cases, there are no intervening commercials (eg, AdY) between the two television shows (eg, Show A and Show B). That is,
The two shows can be back to back (i.e., show A can immediately begin show B). In this case, Show A Cancel 1288 occurs before Show B Start 1284.

In an alternative embodiment, the event manager 504 can start one interactive application before canceling another interactive application. For example, if canceling an interactive application takes longer than it stops, this is desirable, and if the two shows are not back-to-back, the interactive application on show B may be canceled before canceling the interactive application on show A.・
The optimization is to start the application. Generally, an alternative embodiment is to stop the previous interactive application, start the next interactive application, and then cancel the previous interactive application.

In summary, the present invention provides various methods and means for controlling the behavior of interactive content in synchronism with broadcasting and display of broadcasting programs, including television shows, commercials, and the like. The principles of the present invention, which include using a native control signal to determine the identity and state of a broadcast program and then managing the state of interactivity associated with that broadcast program, are subject to numerous variations. It can be implemented in different ways. Some of these variations that are within the scope of the invention are as follows.

Automation server 108 is described as using a dual state machine of translator module 502 and event manager 504. While this is beneficial, other embodiments of the present invention implement automation server 108 or its functions without a state machine, for example using programmed scripts or other procedural mechanisms for each type of control signal. It is considered possible to do so.

The set of ideal control signals and states in the translator module 502, the atomic commands output to the event manager 504, or the commands generated to control a device such as a broadcast server are all more It may be varied to cover more or less signals and commands. Similarly, the particular effect of each of the states may vary. For example, in addition to commands to stop or cancel, restarts with specific restart or delay commands may be used for more complex controls. The save command may instruct the broadcast receiver 120 to save the interactively generated data for future retrieval. This command can be generated in response to an error condition, channel change or other event, for example, to save user or interactivity created data. The send or upload command may send the created / stored data back to the collection mechanism to instruct the broadcast receiver to complete the purchase of the item, for example via an interactive purchase application.

The types of interactivity that can be controlled by the automation server 108 and the present invention are diverse and are not limited to existing interactive applications. Interactivity, such as web pages, or the combination of web pages and interactive applications could be controlled using the principles of the present invention.

The timing of commands to the broadcast server or similar device depends on the bandwidth, the connection speed at which the data is transmitted, and the execution response time of the broadcast receiver relative to how fast the television image can be displayed. You can change it. As such, the command can be sent before, just at, just after, or nearly before the basic broadcast event occurs. Command timing can be optimized by taking advantage of what information is known at the earliest available time.

The means for providing control signals to the automation server or its equivalent may vary. These include binary data on a serial port, LAN or telecommunications interface to a scheduling system, or binary data encoded into an analog or digital video signal.

It is therefore understood that the invention is limited by the claims and is not inherently limited by the details of the preferred embodiments disclosed above.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1]   1 is a diagram of a system according to the present invention.

[Fig. 2]   It is a figure of a broadcast receiver.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the overall process of receiving and executing an interactive application.

[Figure 4]   FIG. 3 is a diagram of an automation server in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a channel interface including a translator module and an event manager.

[Figure 6]   It is a life cycle diagram of an interface manager.

FIG. 7 is a life cycle diagram of a channel interface including a translator module and an event manager.

[Figure 8]   FIG. 6 is a state machine diagram for an ideal translator.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the translator module mapping logic.

[Figure 10]   3 is a flow chart of event manager mapping logic.

FIG. 11   FIG. 3 is a state machine diagram of an event manager.

FIG. 12 is an event trace showing segmentation of broadcast program interactivity for commercials.

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 21, 2001 (2001.12.21)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[Figure 1]

[Fig. 2]

[Figure 3]

[Figure 4]

[Figure 5]

[Figure 6]

[Figure 7]

[Figure 8]

[Figure 9]

[Figure 10]

FIG. 11

[Fig. 12]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H04N 7/081 H04N 5/93 A 7/173 610 (81) Designated country EP (AT, BE, CH, CY) , DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OA (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW , ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, K E, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AE, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, E, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS , LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW (72) Inventor Shigesen, Alan Sea, United States California 94025, Menlo Park, Patterson Avenue 6 (72) Inventor Beliature, Steve United States California 94066, Sun Bruno, Olive Court 778 (72) Inventor Mitchell, Christopher Jay, USA 91504, Burbank, Adornos Way 3000 Term (reference) 5C053 FA20 FA29 GB06 JA01 JA21 LA06 LA07 LA15 5C063 AA01 AB03 AB05 AC01 AC05 AC10 CA23 CA36 DA07 DB10 5C064 BA01 BB10 BC18 BC23 BC25 BD02 BD03 BD08 BD09 [Continued Summary] Broadcast native control signal from system (106) Translate into a fixed set of atomic commands that describe the life cycle behavior of the program. The event manager (504) receives these atomic commands and uses them to determine the appropriate state for any interactive application associated with the broadcast program.

Claims (27)

[Claims] 1. A computer-implemented method for controlling broadcast and reception of an interactive application, the method comprising: receiving a control signal for controlling broadcast of a broadcast program; and one of the broadcast programs from the control signal. Related Interactive ·
A method comprising: determining an application; and generating a command from the control signal for maintaining execution and termination of an interactive application in synchronism with any of displaying and broadcasting a broadcast program. 2. The step of generating a command further comprises the step of generating a command for maintaining a synchronized display of an interactive application with a display of a broadcast program on a broadcast receiver. Method. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a command further comprises the step of generating a command to end the display of the interactive application in synchronization with the end of the display of the broadcast program. 4. The step of generating a command further comprises: determining the state of the broadcast program from the control signal; and determining the state of the interactive application in response to the state of the broadcast program. Generating at least one command suitable for the state of the interactive application. 5. The broadcast program is a television show, the step of issuing a command further comprises determining from the control signal that a commercial is on air, and the commercial is on air. In response to determining to determine that the commercial is no longer on air, in response to determining to determine that the interactive application associated with the television show is interrupted. Generating a command to resume execution of an interactive application associated with the television program. 6. The broadcast program is a first television show, the step of issuing a command further comprising: determining from the control signal that a commercial is on air; Receiving a control signal to end the show, and, in response to determining that the commercial is on air, for interrupting execution of an interactive application associated with the first television show. In response to the step of issuing a command and determining that the first television show is on air after the commercial.
Generating a command to resume execution of the application. 7. The broadcast program is a first television show, and the step of issuing a command further comprises determining from the control signal that a commercial is on air, the television show. Receiving a control signal to end the broadcast and suspending execution of a first interactive application associated with the first television show in response to determining that the commercial is on air. The first interactive show in response to determining that the first television show is on air after all commercials during the commercial break.
In response to generating a command to resume execution of the application and determining that the second television show is on air.
The command for terminating a first interactive application and the step of generating a command for initiating execution of a second interactive application associated with a second television show. Method. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a control signal comprises the step of receiving a control signal from the scheduling system by emulating a broadcast source device controlled by the scheduling system. 9. Each control signal is associated with a broadcast program, and the step of receiving the control signal schedules and starts an interactive application for the broadcast program associated with the control signal,
The method of claim 1, comprising the step of translating the control signal into a set of commands to the interactive application server to selectively instruct the interactive application server to stop and cancel. 10. The control signal is generated by a scheduling system in response to a playlist defining a series of broadcast programs including a program identifier and information describing when to broadcast the broadcast program. The method described. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated by a scheduling system in response to an action of an operator manually controlling the broadcast of the broadcast program. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is prerecorded and stored in association with a broadcast program controlled by the control signal. 13. A step of receiving a preparation control signal for preparing a broadcast of a selected broadcast program, a step of determining an interactive application associated with the selected broadcast program, and a step of determining the determined interactive program. Generating a command for scheduling the execution of the application. 14. A step of receiving a start control signal for preparing a broadcast of a selected broadcast program, a step of determining an interactive application associated with the selected broadcast program, and a step of determining the determined interactive program. Generating a command to initiate transmission of the application. 15. A step of receiving a start control signal for preparing a broadcast of a selected broadcast program, a step of determining an interactive application associated with the selected broadcast program, and a previously transmitted interactive program. Generating a command to initiate execution of the determined interactive application by sending a trigger to the application. 16. A control signal for stopping broadcasting of a selected broadcasting program, determining an interactive application associated with the selected broadcasting program, and determining the determined interactive application. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing a command to cancel execution of the application. 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the type of broadcast program for the control signal. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of determining a type for the interactive application as a function of the type of broadcast program. 19. A step of determining whether a broadcast program type for a control signal is a television show, commercial or unknown, and an interactive application type suitable for the broadcast program type. The method of claim 1, further comprising: 20. The scheduling system prepares a broadcast source,
Providing respective control signals for starting and stopping, generating a command for scheduling an interactive application associated with the broadcast program in response to receiving a preparation signal for the broadcast program, and Generating a command to start the associated interactive application, ignoring a received start signal for the broadcast program if a command to start the interactive application associated with the broadcast program has already been generated Generating a stop command for stopping the interactive application associated with the broadcast program in response to receiving a stop signal for the broadcast program. Further comprising The method of claim 1, wherein the. 21. The scheduling system provides a control signal for selectively distinguishing between a television show and a commercial by the presence or absence of an identification code in the control signal, and broadcasting the commercial during the television show. Generating a command for scheduling an interactive application associated with the commercial in response to receiving a control signal including an identification code indicating, and a command for starting the interactive application, and Determining whether an interactive application for the television show is running and generating a command for stopping execution of the interactive application for the television show. Generating a command to cancel an interactive application associated with the commercial and generating a command to start the interactive application in response to receiving a control signal that does not include an identification code for the commercial. The method of claim 1, further comprising: 22. The scheduling system provides a control signal including data for identifying each broadcast program and its duration, and uses the identification data and the duration data from the control signal to associate with the broadcast program. Further comprising the step of issuing a command for selectively scheduling, starting, stopping and canceling the interactive application,
The method of claim 1. 23. For each interactive program associated with an interactive application, transitioning through a state associated with the broadcast program in response to the control signal, and for an interactive application for the state of the broadcast program. Maintaining a first state machine that issues commands in selected states associated with the desired behavior of the broadcast program, and for an interactive application associated with the broadcast program, responding to commands from the state machine of the broadcast program. Then the interactive
Maintaining a state machine that makes its transitions through a state associated with an application and that selectively issues commands to maintain synchronous execution of the interactive application with the broadcast program. The method described. 24. A method of controlling the execution of an interactive application for a television show and a commercial, the step of generating a command that results in the execution of an interactive application associated with a television show, said television Generating a command to suspend the execution of the interactive application during each commercial during a show, and for restarting the execution of the interactive application when a television program is broadcast after each commercial. Generating a command. 25. A computer program product for controlling execution of an interactive application for a broadcast program, comprising: a plurality of channel interfaces, each channel interface of the broadcast program on each of the plurality of channels. Coupled to receive a control signal for a particular channel from a scheduling system for scheduling broadcasts, each channel interface further comprising a translator and an event manager, said translator for the channel interface comprising: Is coupled to receive a control signal associated with a broadcast program on a particular channel and translate the control signal into a command for the event manager, the command on the particular channel. Depending on the state of the sending program, the event manager for the channel interface is coupled to receive the command from the translator and to issue a command to the server, the broadcast program being broadcast on the particular channel. A computer program product that controls the execution of interactive applications associated with. 26. The translator for a channel interface maintains a separate state machine for each uniquely identified broadcast program having an interactive application, and the event manager for a channel interface. 26. The computer program product of claim 25, which maintains a separate state machine for each interactive application of a broadcast program on the particular channel. 27. A system for controlling execution of an interactive application for a broadcast program, comprising an automation server communicatively coupled to a source of control signals for controlling operation of a broadcast source, the broadcast source being a broadcast program. The automation server determines the state of the broadcast program and the interactive application associated with the broadcast program from the control signal for the broadcast program, and generates a command in response to the state of the broadcast program. And controlling the execution of the interactive application on the broadcast receiver and the display of the interactive application on the display device in synchronization with the display of the broadcast program on the display device. The auto Received from Deployment Server, further comprising and said interactive application, a broadcast server to provide a signal for controlling the execution of interactive applications for broadcast to the broadcast receiver, the system.